The evening started like any other—soft candlelight, glasses of wine, and easy conversation. My husband, his best friend Mark, and I sat at an intimate corner table in one of the city’s finest restaurants, catching up on life, reminiscing about the past. But as dinner progressed, the mood shifted. Mark leaned forward, his expression more serious than before.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to say for years,” he began, swirling the deep red liquid in his glass. “Something I never had the courage to bring up until now.”

I felt my husband stiffen slightly beside me, but he remained silent, waiting.

Mark exhaled and met my gaze. “I’ve always loved you,” he admitted. “From the first moment I saw you. But you chose him, and I respected that. Still, it never changed how I felt.”

My heart pounded, unsure where he was going with this. Then came the offer.

“One night,” he said plainly. “One night with you—for a million dollars.”

I blinked, unsure if I had heard him correctly. My husband let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. “Are you serious?”

“Completely.” Mark’s tone was steady. “It’s not just about desire. It’s about closure, about experiencing what I never got to have. And I’m willing to pay for that opportunity.”

A thick silence settled over the table. My husband looked at me, his expression unreadable. Then, surprisingly, he spoke.

“I know my wife,” he said. “I know her heart, and I know she’d choose me again, no matter what. But a million dollars is a million dollars. This could change our lives.”

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Was this truly a harmless proposition, just another business transaction? Or was this the moment that could change everything?

I stared at the two men before me—the man I had chosen, and the man who had wanted me all along. And for the first time, I wasn’t sure what my answer would be.